Bobby Portis

New York Knicks, for once, might do the right thing before the trade deadline

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New York Knicks, Kenny Wooten

The New York Knicks are always in the mix when the trade deadline comes around.  Last season the Knicks made a big splash with the Kristaps Porzingis trade in January.  They were able to acquire picks which is something rare for them.

The Knicks always seem to be the team that’s giving away picks for superstars and/or quick fixes.  That hasn’t happened for awhile now but back in the early 2000’s and 2010’s it happened a lot.

This time around the Knicks appear to be staying put on trading away any of their first-round picks.  That is the best news that fans can hear around the deadline.  First-rounds picks are where the Knicks are going to build their future.  Stock piling as many picks as they can is only going to be better in the long run.

The Knicks are finally doing the right thing when it comes to keeping all picks.

Another thing that the New York Knicks finally did right was calling up G-League stand-out Kenny Wooten Jr.  There were teams that were reportedly interested in trading for Wooten, so the Knicks had to act fast.  They signed him to a two-way contract and waived Ivan Rabb.

Wooten should get time considering other teams were interested in him and the Knicks need to see what he can go.  He had major ups and pairing him with Mitchell Robinson would be something to look forward to for the future.  Wooten’s highlight tape speaks for itself.

New York Knicks not selling at deadline then Mills needs to go

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New York Knicks aren’t going to be trading away their ‘assets’ for picks this trade deadline.  It appears like President Steve Mills still has his eye set on going for the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference.

While it is always good to have optimistic goals for the Knicks, we have to be realistic.  The Knicks don’t have a shot at the playoffs.  They have the second worst record in the conference, 10-28, and are 7 games out of the 8th seed.  Don’t see these “dogs” making noise.

Some teams that have been trying to compete for a playoff spot have been eyeing a few New York Knicks players such as, Marcus Morris and Dennis Smith Jr.  Other players that could be on the market are Bobby Portis, Wayne Ellington and Allonzo Trier.

Reports from SNY’s  Ian Begley were that the Knicks would rather get players as compared to picks.  That is if they were to make trade which it seems like Mills is avoiding.  That may be the one good thing Mills has said this season.  If the Knicks want to compete sometime this decade, they’re going to need young talent with upside.

Getting picks is good but unless it’s a high pick you’re taking a chance and might get lucky.  The Knicks aren’t lucky, if anything they’re cursed.  They aren’t the best at evaluating talent either.  They got lucky getting RJ Barrett.  However, the did hit a home run with Mitchell Robinson.  So if they should make trades, getting back young assets would be considered a win.

Mills has been on the hot seat for years now.  He is more to blame for the last two rosters than Scott Perry, who’s entering in his second year with the team.  But Mill’s relationship with the Knicks owner, it seems changes in the front office are unlikely.  How many embarrassing seasons are the Knicks going to have before their needs to be a major shake-up in the front office?

New York Knicks need to call up Kenny Wooten Jr. after the deadline

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New York Knicks, Kenny Wooten

The New York Knicks season isn’t going the way everyone thought it would.  Even when they show signs of light, they take a few steps back.

The Knicks seem to be invisible of recent when they play the best teams in the association.  They were able to compete in some games despite getting blown out by the Los Angeles Lakers last night, 117-87.  They beat the Mavericks twice and kept it close with the Sixers and Nuggets.

However, that isn’t good enough for the fans of the New York Knicks.

The trade deadline is February 6th.  And while Marcus Morris doesn’t want to be traded, allegedly, trades will happen.

The Knicks have veteran players that could be useful on teams that are contending.  Morris is one, he’s being targeted by the Clippers and Sixers.  Others that could be targeted are Dennis Smith Jr., Bobby Portis, Wayne Ellington and Allonzo Trier.

When the Knicks become sellers, roster spots will be available.  One player in their G-League affiliate, Westchester Knicks, that can earn a spot is Kenny Wooten Jr. out of Oregon.

While Wooten’s stats for Westchester aren’t breathtaking,  6.8 points and 5.8 rebounds, he is averaging 3.5 blocks per.  He’s a highlight factory when it comes to blocks, dunks, rebounds and giving the team energy.

Wooten has the ability to jump out of the gym similar to a Mitchell Robinson.  Those two could be a dynamic duo for the Knicks front court.  They’re both young, have hops and could wreak havoc in paint.  Wooten could learn how to score in the paint the same way Robinson did.

There are other players for Westchester that could earn a spot like Lamar Peter or Ignas Brazdeikis.  Besides Robinson, the Knicks struggle protecting the rim.  Robinson and Wooten could be a tandem that would bring exciting blocks and energy to the entire team and fan base.

New York Knicks need to give Kevin Knox more minutes

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New York Knicks, Kevin Knox

New York Knicks aren’t seeing the progression in lottery pick Kevin Knox like they should.  Knox’s minutes went down with the addition of multiple free agents this off-season.  This season his minutes have dropped from 28.8 to 19.4.

The Knicks added Julius Randle, Marcus Morris, Elfrid Payton, Taj Gibson, Reggie Bullock, Bobby Portis and Wayne Ellington.  Randle and Morris are the main options when it comes to scoring.  In his rookie season, Knox was just that along with Tim Hardaway Jr., after Kristaps Porzingis went down.  A tough assignment for a rookie.  He averaged 11.2 points at a very below-average 37% shooting.

When drafted, Knox was suppose to become a scoring threat.  He’s young, still growing and his game has a lot of upside.  The Knicks didn’t draft him to ride the bench.  However, the newly acquired players are making it difficult for Knox to grow.

At the beginning of the season, Knox showed signs of progression.  He was working in the off-season to be more controlled when driving and sharpening his decision making.  His shot appeared to improve but under former coach David Fizdale Knox remained one dimensional.

Now under interim coach Mike Miller, Knox is still under the ‘experimental phase’.  Miller is trying to make Knox become more than just a shooter.  He wants Knox to work on his cutting, dribble, etc.  The 2018 Knicks no. 9 lottery pick has improved his cutting as, at least once a game, he’s seen flying through the air for an alley-oop.

Currently the New York Knicks sit at 10-26 and dead last in the Eastern Conference.  Miller insists that all young players are getting the proper amount of time to grow.  Fans would beg to differ.  Knox needs to be getting more minutes if he is to properly grow into the player the organization wants him to be.

It’s understandable that his minutes would decline if the team was in contention with the new players, however that isn’t the case.

Knox hasn’t played over 20 minutes since December 23rd against Washington.  A young second-year player cannot properly grow or develop if they don’t have reasonable time to do so.  The team clearly isn’t turning around their season around so a decision needs to be made on whether to go with the younger players, again, or continue the course.

Things may be different for Knox after the trade deadline.  The Knicks could deal veteran talent to make room for more minutes for their younger players.  We will know the beginning of February.

New York Knicks players hear the fans chirping the team

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Players for New York Knicks hear how disgruntled the fans are with their play.  It’s hard in this day-and-age with social media to not hear everything fans are saying.

Dennis Smith Jr. was in an Uber going home after a home game this season and the Uber was going in on the Knicks.  The driver didn’t even recognize that Smith Jr. played for the Knicks, some fan.

Smith Jr. later told Bleacher Report, “It’s just funny hearing it because that’s when you realize they really don’t know st.   They just be talking.  That’s why it’s good to let them ramble.  They don’t know st.”

First off, if you’re going to be ripping the Knicks you should know what the players look like?  Maybe, he listens to the games in the car?  Even so, he’d have to see what Smith Jr. looks like at some point.

Anyway, the fans in New York know basketball.  They are the most dedicated, ride-or-die fans in the world.  You’d have to be if you’re going to be a New York Knicks fan today, especially how the past few seasons have been going.  Fans are so dedicated that they continue to come to games despite the Knicks losing by 20+ points and having 3 home wins on the season.

Knicks fans are going to cotinue hearing for their despite however bad or disappointing them may be.  It was clear a few games ago when the Knicks were down by 25+ points.  Mitchell Robinson had a block on defense then a dunk in transition and the crowd was going crazy.  If that doesn’t show you that they’re dying for competitive basketball then something is wrong.  Being down by a lot but still rooting on your team because that’s what we do.

Bobby Portis got it from a fan in the grocery store.  However, it appears that Portis respects the fire and passion that the fans have, especially in New York.

New York Knicks fans, or New Yorkers in general, aren’t going to sugarcoat anything.  When you play badly, you’re going to get an ear full everywhere you go.  Maybe, it’s something that these players need to hear.  Players have to respect the fire fans have for the Knicks, you can’t blame the fans.  Players have to look in the mirror and be accountable for their play and do something about it.

How the New York Knicks roster is constructed this season

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have talent on their roster.  However, David Fizdale needs to find a way to properly use it on the court because it has yet to be seen.  Fans have seen that the talent is there but the execution is not.

Their roster was something to get excited about this off-season.  With 10 new players, there is a good balance between young and veteran players.  But, each player likes to stick to what’s comfortable for them and shy away from the team aspect.

Here’s how the Knicks roster is constructed this season.

The Knicks don’t have an offensive scheme.  It’s all isolation, despite what anyone says.  The main culprits are Julius Randle, Marcus Morris and Allonzo Trier.  These three players always try to take the game into their own hands and away from the team.  Randle and Morris, especially, ruin the flow of the game, most of the time, trying to take their man one-on-one.

Randle tried to take Giannis Antetokounmpo one-on-one early in their last game and that didn’t go well.  That bully isolation isn’t going to work, this isn’t pick up.  Giannis came back taking Randle one-on-one and bullying him.

When it comes to playmakers, there’s a few.  Frank Ntilikina is the one stand outs when it comes to that.  He is always looking to make something happen on both sides of the floor.  Ntilikina is sort of one as sometimes he goes missing on the floor.  Elfrid Payton was one until he got hurt.  He likes to push the pace in transition but there hasn’t been much since his injury.  In time, RJ Barrett will be an even better playmaker as he remains aggressive and attacks the rim.  He and Ntilikina are the lone bright spots in the first 21 games.

Some would say that Randle and Morris could be playmakers.  But they try to do that too much and hurt the team more as compared to helping them.

The one thing the New York Knicks do have is a rim protector in Mitchell Robinson.  The only thing is he needs to stay out of foul trouble.  When Robinson can be consistent, he’ll be a problem.  Taj Gibson had a good stretch at setting the defensive tempo since being inserted into the starting lineup but he’s older and not as quick as he was.

Finally, the Knicks don’t have a go-to shooter.  Daymean Dotson and Kevin Know try to be shooters but you can’t rely on them.  Both are inconsistent, especially Knox, and Dotson needs more minutes.  Again, Randle and Morris try to be shooter but they do too much and turn into gunners when they think ‘they’re feeling it’.

The main thing is that there’s too much isolation.  The Knicks aren’t that good of a team to continuously try one-on-ones.  There needs to be more pick-n-rolls and ball movement because it has worked when they utilized it this season.  It all comes down to being consistent and finding their rhythm, which has yet to be found.

The New York Knicks need last year’s Fizdale back

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New York Knicks, David Fizdale

The New York Knicks are not the same team from last year.  The Knicks finished with an NBA worst 17-65 record in 2018-19.  Despite the worst record, there is lot more hope and optimism in this year’s team.

The Knicks added several new players that would be the ‘right’ fit for this year’s team.  Those players were thought to thrive under the tutelage of the well-respected ‘players coach’ David Fizdale.

When the Knicks won their 17th game last season at Garden faithful saw Fizdale being the teams biggest cheerleader.  He was jumping up-and-down, running up the sidelines as if it was a playoff game.

This year, however, is a completely different story.  The Knicks don’t have that fiery coach on the side this season.  Some fans already expressed frustration with his coaching this season.  However, sources around the team have confirmed that it’s too early for a coaching change.

The coach sets the tone for the team.  Despite the league’s worst record last season, the fire from Fizdale was still present.  He was showing that he was a player’s coach.  Fizdale just didn’t have the talent last season to perform.  This season is different.

There’s 10 new players and higher expectations, especially with the future of their franchise, RJ Barrett.  Since there’s new expectations, Fizdale has appeared to change his coaching demeanor.  There’s little fire like we saw last year and he’s trying to be more professional, sometimes over-coaching.

Marcus Morris defended his coach saying that Fizdale ‘puts them in the best position to win’.  He continued, “He’s been nothing but a great coach for us.”  While that may be the case for the players, the Knicks are still 1-6.  This coaching style may not be working currently for the New York Knicks.

The Knicks get down on themselves when the shots aren’t falling.  It’s the coaches responsibility to pick the team back up.  This team of ‘dogs’, currently poodles, could respond well to that fire from their leader.

And the new fan favorite for the New York Knicks goes to…

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New York Knicks, Bobby Portis

There’s a new sheriff in town for the New York Knicks, at least for one game.  Last night, Bobby Portis rained supreme.  The Knicks got their first victory of the season and we can thank Portis.

We’ll start quickly with the first half.  The Knicks couldn’t get any shot to fall and the Chicago Bulls made everything.  It was an atrocious first half of basketball for the Knicks.  It was very difficult to watch.  Everything about their performance in the first half was careless.  The passing, rebounding and rotating on defense etc.  Head coach David Fizdale looked like a deer in headlights, as Knicks fans vented their disgusted on Twitter.

The second half was a different team.  It seems like that’s always the case for this squad.  The Bulls shooting finally cooled down and the Knicks took advantage.   RJ Barrett and Portis were the guys leading the charge.  Barrett was consistent throughout the entire game and shows why he’s already in the conversation for Rookie of the Year.  Even his teammates are having confidence in Barrett to be the guy in clutch situations.  He was getting the ball and being aggressive driving to the rim when the Knicks needed a big bucket.

Then, it was Portis time.  He made a few shots in a row and his confidence was at an all-time high.  Besides Barrett, the rest of the Knicks were off offensively.  Whenever there was a big shot in the second half, especially fourth quarter, Portis was the man taking it.  Portis hit four huge 3’s to propel the New York Knicks to victory.

Portis ended the game with 28 and 11 and was 4-4 from beyond the arc.  We always also receiving “Bobby Portis!” chants from the Garden faithful.  For those few hours, Portis was the king of New York and the talk of the town.

New York Knicks: RJ Barrett is being used in an interesting way

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New York Knicks, RJ Barrett

While New York Knicks veteran free agent signing Bobby Portis lit up Monday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls, fluttering a trio of tres late in the fourth quarter to seal the win, rookie RJ Barrett also impressed.

Portis finished with 28 points on 10-14 shooting from the field and 4-4 from beyond the arch. His stellar performance fueled the Knicks to their first win of the season and a glorious one as they trailed by 18-points in the first quarter. The Knicks have started slow most games and fought their way back to blow it once more in the end, but that narrative changed on Monday, and they can now put the first one of the year behind them.

However, Barrett, who has been exciting over the first three games, continued his streak in game four of the regular season. His 13 points on 7-15 shooting from the field helped New York overcome a feisty Bulls team led by Chicago, but the exciting thing was how he orchestrated the team.

With veteran point guard Elfrid Payton leaving the game with a sore hamstring, Barrett took over as PG on offense and ran the team with confidence and poise. His five total assists and 15 rebounds saw him finish with a double-double. The Duke product has been nothing but impressive thus far in the season, and he could play a significant part in luring superstar free agents to the Knicks in the future.

Maybe, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving made a mistake after all. Barrett’s development will be the focus during the 2019-20 season, but the veterans already seem to mesh. Julius Randle and Marcus Morris seem to be building chemistry and increasing their shot selections.

The New York Knicks saw a significant positive against Chicago:

Four of the five Knicks starters earned double-digit point totals, which shows head coach David Fizdale is finally learning what combination of players works best. The only player that fell shy was Payton, who left in the second half. Portis, who played the most out of any bench player, earned the highest grade on the team with a +/- of +31.

 

The New York Knicks season began with an intriguing loss

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New York Knicks, RJ Barrett

The New York Knicks kicked off their season in San Antonio last evening.  The team supported their new statement uniforms on the road against the Spurs.

The game was interesting to say the least.  The Knicks started the game with lackadaisical defense as the Spurs jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter.  Their defense was sub-par as the Spurs were manhandling them on the glass for the entire game.

However, the Knicks were able to make things interesting going on multiple double-digit runs to get back into the game and take the lead.  At one point, the Knicks were up 7 points in second half, having total control of the game.

But, as all Knicks fans know, that doesn’t last.  The Spurs continued to dominate the boards and got to the basket seemingly at will.  Their shooting was something else as well, as it seemed like every big shot went in.

Despite the awful rebounding, help defense and careless fouls and passes, the Knicks played better then expected.  The refs were not on the Knicks side, they never are.  The fouls were 32-12 in favor of the Knicks.  Horrendous.

Point guard situation 

RJ Barrett and Allonzo Trier was the starting back-court with Barrett running point.  He is not a true point guard, but coach David Fizdale had enough confidence in him to be the guy.  This comes after Fizdale saying that none of the three true point guards on the roster earned the starting spot.

After an initial rocky start, the offense got grooving.  Everyone was pushing the ball up the floor and it was paying dividends. Elfrid Payton helped greatly.  Payton had a very strong showing running the offense when Trier when out.  He ran the offense well and was able to push the tempo and his teammates followed.  Payton’s performance, despite his fouling, made him the clear favorite for the starting point guard job.

Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina did not make things easier on themselves trying to get that job.  Smith Jr. couldn’t contain Dejounte Murray or Bryn Forbes, as they ran circles around the rusty Smith Jr.  His shot still needs loads of work.  Ntilikina had careless passes which led to easy Spur baskets in big situations.

Despite the negatives, the New York Knicks play was captivating.  Barrett, Julius Randle and Marcus Morris stole the show.  Those three provided the Knicks with big time offense when needed.  Kevin Knox, too, had huge back-to-back threes for the Knicks.  Even though it’s only one game, his shot looks stronger then last season.

Randle, Barrett, Payton and Morris sparked the team to have a lot of energy and cohesiveness.  The teams defense was ‘tenacious’ as Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier would say.  They got steals when needed, leading to fast breaks led by Barrett and Payton.  The rebounding was atrocious but they can work on that.  Getting Mitchell Robinson will be a big boost.

However, the Knicks had a decent showing.  A lot of positives and negatives but the Knicks played hard and like a team.  It’s an encouraging start for this young squad.